Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On November 3, 2025, a concerned citizen called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) alleging that a man assaulted a man after he refused to give up his phone, according to an affidavit filed in the District Court.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to court records on Nov 3rd, at about 9:25 p.m., a person (later identified as the reporter) called the TPS to report an alleged assault in Fogagogo.

The officers were dispatched to the call, and upon arrival, they saw the reporter’s family assisting the victim, who was bleeding. The victim was placed into the police unit for transport to the EMS station in Tafuna.

The victim provided the officers with a description of the suspect: a man wearing a white t-shirt with cut-off sleeves and black shorts. The suspect was later identified as Vaefa Mikaele.

The victim was interviewed inside the unit during transport.

According to the victim, he was conversing with a family member in Samoa on his phone when the suspect asked to use his phone. He continued to ignore the suspect after being asked several times.

The victim recalled being struck by the suspect with a coffee mug on the left side of his face, near his left eye. After being hit, the victim stated that he saw the suspect holding a knife and threatening to kill him. At this time, he stood up and ran about half a mile to the reporter’s house, where he contacted the police.

At around 9:43 p.m., EMS arrived, and the victim was transported to LBJ Hospital by ambulance.

One of the responding officers reported over the radio that the suspect had been apprehended and was being transported to the TPS.

Upon arrival at the police station, one of the responding officers informed the lead officer that, before their arrival, Mikaele had been observed outside the house using the victim’s phone.

The suspect was Mirandized upon arrival at the station, and understood his rights and agreed to provide a verbal statement.

When asked what happened, the suspect stated that he had wanted to use the victim’s phone, but the victim ignored him. He then punched the victim with his right fist.

The officer showed the suspect a picture of the victim’s injury and asked him if he had used an object to strike the victim. The victim confessed that he was furious and he grabbed a coffee mug and struck the victim on the left side of his face.

Moreover, he explained that the victim fled and left his phone behind, which the victim later used. He also mentioned that he was on the phone when the officers arrived at the scene.

The suspect was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility, to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

An investigation later revealed that the victim and suspect live together in Fogagogo, near the Maliu Mai Beach Resort. Both come from Samoa through the guest worker program and were the only ones at home during the incident. It was revealed that the victim’s cousin is married to the suspect’s sister.

A follow-up was later conducted at the hospital where the victim was being treated. The attending physician examined the victim and reported that the victim sustained a one-inch and two-centimeter laceration on the left side of his face as a result of the assault.

The defendant is identified as Vaefa Miakaele, a 25-year-old citizen of Samoa.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court. ra]